P-p-p-pick up a penguin

Director: Mark Waters,
Starring: Jim Carrey, Carla Gugino, Angela Lansbury, Clark Gregg

Jim Carrey stars as Mr Popper, a successful and driven New Yorker whose single-minded obsession with his business means that his family life has suffered as a consequence.

However, this all changes when the Manhattan real estate magnate inherits half a dozen penguins. Behaving in a manner suggested by their descriptive names – Stinky, Lovey, Bitey, Loudy, Captain and Nimrod – they proceed to turn his posh penthouse apartment upside-down and finally persuade his ex-wife and kids that he might be human after all.

An adaptation of the beloved 1938 children’s book of the same name, Mr Popper’s Penguins is a surprisingly funny and heartfelt comedy.

Carrey brings a sensitivity and vitality to the role – it’s not the crazy, manic Jim Carrey from The Mask or Ace Ventura. But it’s the birds, a combination of real life penguins and CGI, that really steal the show – the special effects department has done a great job here.

All in all this is a goofily endearing family flick. It’s nothing that won’t be just as much fun on home video, but it’s a pleasant enough time waster while kids are out of school.

Genre: Comedy | Family
Age Restriction: PG
Runtime: 94 min